Last Days of the Witch: Revised Edition
by Ailyth
Summary: Witches are pseudovampires, draining emotions from their victims. Nick hunts them. And well, Ellis is Ellis. The hunt leads up north, but it won't be so easy getting there. M/M Nick/Ellis, Yaoi, Slight AU, probable OOC. Story got a total makeover, apologies if you dislike it compared to the new version.
1. The Start

Ellis couldn't remember the last time his Pa had asked him to go into town on his behalf. It was a job he only trusted himself with, though this time it seems he was out of options. They had run out of sugar completely, and as much as Ellis hated to admit it, it was his fault.

It wasn't that he wanted to put his family in danger, he had just forgotten to check their reserves a few days ago. When he went out to set up the traps, he didn't have enough to fill up all of them. As a result, Ellis had to be the one to obtain some more of the stuff. Daniel, his father, stayed behind to watch over the rest of the family.

Most witches liked to stay in town where they could feed off of just about anyone who was stupid or careless enough to wander too far off the highways alone. As for what happened to the victims, not much was known. A few years ago, Ellis had dared Keith to bait one of the creatures to see what happened, and being the type of guy he was, he would never back down from a dare. They had rode up to an area notorious for it's rumors of random disappearances and waited for a few hours.

_"Just go on back to your farm without me, Ellis. I'm gonna wait here until something happens."_

Even though Ellis knew it was a bad idea, Keith ignored his attempts to talk him out of it, and after a while, he just left the teenager to his own stubbornness. Later that night, his Pa got a call from Keith's uncle, asking if Ellis had seen his nephew anywhere; that he had never returned from his excursion into town.

Keith was found a few days later in the hospital, where he had been picked up by a good Samaritan off the side of the road and carried to the nearest medical facility. There was nothing physically wrong with him, besides a bite mark on his neck, but he suffered from major depression for the next two weeks. Poor guy did nothing but lay in bed all day and talk about how hopeless his life was now. They put him on heavy duty anti-depressants, but it didn't seem to help much. His family had to watch him to make sure he didn't hurt himself, which made Ellis feel even worse about his actions.

When his mood finally lifted, he didn't remember much of anything of the previous events, including the dare and resulting depression, for which Ellis was grateful due to the massive guilt he would harbor for the next few years. He vowed never to dare Keith to do anything ever again after that.

It didn't take long for Ellis to find the supplier his dad mentioned. It was an all-purpose witch-hunting store called Uncle Snake's, and it was owned by a family friend who wouldn't hesitate to give them a **generous** 1% discount on any purchase over a thousand dollars. He pulled into a nearby parking space, noting the place actually had another customer, which was surprising considering the man's prices. Whoever he was, his extravagant red car certainly signaled he spared no expense when it comes to what he wants. From the position of the steering wheel, it was most likely an imported luxury car.

A bell chimed overhead as Ellis pulled open the glass door of the establishment. The inside of the shop was poorly lit; several light bulbs past their prime painted the dirty white walls with an orange tint. A man in an expensive-looking white suit stood in front of the counter with a hand idly in his pocket, waiting on the tall, pale owner in a blue and gold suit that rivaled his own in elegance. A large box rest on the counter, open. Snake would occasionally peek into the box, and then resume typing on his computer.

"Your transaction is being processed. It shall only be a few moments, good sir." The man behind the counter reached for the brown container, but the white-suited man stopped him.

"Not until I get the money, 'good sir'." He responded, the last part clearing mocking the owner's attempt to stay on his good side.

Snake's brow twitched and a frown formed on his features. "Very well." He bowed quickly and excused himself from the counter, disappearing behind a door in the back. Ellis stood in the doorway, unsure if he should even get close to the other man for fear of some sort of backlash from him, though soon enough he overcame his irrationality and took his place in line.

"Hey." It wasn't certain if the other man was ignoring him, or if he simply hadn't heard Ellis' small greeting. "Hey." He repeated, a bit louder this time, but to no avail. The southerner's hand was raised up in the air, prepared to tap the man on his shoulder.

"Don't touch the suit." Ellis' hand froze inches away from the white fabric. He didn't even turn around and yet he could tell what was about to happen. His hand retracted and the well-dressed fellow turned to face him, running a hand through his dark brown hair with an annoyed look on his face. "Can I help you?"

Ellis scratched the back of his head in mild embarrassment, not knowing exactly what to say. "Uh... Is that your ride out there?" Ellis thumbed back at the import sitting outside.

The man eyed him for a few seconds, glancing at his car occasionally. Ellis averted his eyes and coughed nervously. "Who are you exactly?"

"Ellis." He was quick to supply his own name to the stranger, and instinctively held out his hand in a proper greeting.

The gesture received a questioning look, but eventually the older man rolled his eyes and returned with a firm handshake. "Nick. And yes, that is my car out there. Imported from France."

"Fancy." Ellis nodded, having always been fond of mechanics, but the most experience he got was with tractors. He'd always watch with interest whenever his Pa would take his truck in to get looked at, though he ended up being shooed away for asking too many questions. That was a long time ago, though.

"It sure is. Oh and, kid? You can let go of my hand now."

Ellis blinked, not realizing he still held Nick's hand in his own, lost in his thoughts. "Oh, m'sorry." He stared at his shoes, hoping the slight red tint to his face would go unnoticed. Nick waved a dismissal of his apology, his way of forgiving the southerner without actually speaking. "So... what was in that box?"

Nick inhaled slowly, letting it out as an even longer sigh. "A witch. Things sell for quite a lot, though folks are happier to see them dead rather than alive."

His eyes widened in amazement at the older man's statement. "You mean you're a hunter? Don't those things freak you out?" Ellis' mind returned to what had happened with Keith. No one else thought it was a witch, but he had a feeling... I mean, how else did he get bite marks on his neck? The doctors simply labeled them as "puncture wounds" and left it at that.

The hunter laughed. "Nope. At least, not any more. They're not exactly friendly creatures, but once you know how to handle them..." He trailed off with a sly smile, sweeping the air with his hands, motioning towards his dressed body. "Well, the suit and all explains it for me."

"So what are you doing here? This town isn't very high class. Where are you from?" Ellis spoke a mile a minute, barraging Nick with several other questions before he held up his hands.

"Easy there tiger, one at a time. I'm originally from around Vegas, where I ran a casino with a few friends." Nick sighed again. "Things got a little ugly, so I hit the road to get away from it all. Ended up grabbing a shotgun and blowing pellets into the bastards' faces."

"What brings ya to Georgia?"

"I go where I'm needed, kid. I pretty much work for the government. The big shots don't like their voters being abducted. Dumps like this place?" He motioned towards the stained chairs and filthy carpet. "This is where I collect my reward money. A lot of stores ain't what they seem. Someone else is usually pulling the strings, though sometimes they just waltz in and seize control. I'm surprised that shady-looking pale guy is still running the joint." Ellis chuckled.

"Ahem." A vocalized cough startled the two men, who turned around to see that Snake had returned, and he looked rather irritated. "**Sir**. Your payment has been confirmed and you may pick it up whenever you wish. Hopefully soon so you can leave..." The last part was muttered under his breath. Ellis caught the words, but if Nick did, he ignored them. Snake heaved the box off the counter and onto the floor next to his feet and pulled out a clip of $100 bills, at which raised both of Ellis' eyebrows.

"Now's a good a time as ever." Nick stepped up to the counter.

"Here you are, five thousand dollars... plus a modest ten percent handler's fee."

"Two percent." Nick leaned against the counter. Ellis had a feeling this would be fun to watch.

Snake laughed. "Want to play that game, eh? Eight percent, but that's as low as I'll go."

The sly grin from before returned. "Oh is it now? Four percent, and I have a shotgun in my car."

Snake gulped audibly, nervousness apparent in his next offer, though his confidence grew as he went on. "S-Six percent, and as an added bonus, I'll decide not to turn you over to the police for threatening me!"

Now it was Nick's turn to laugh. "You drive a hard bargain. Deal." Snake slipped a few bills out of the clip, and when Nick held out his hand to seal the deal, he simply shoved the remainder of the clip into his awaiting, but sideways, palm. The hunter rolled his eyes as Snake bent down to heave the box over his shoulders before disappearing once again into the back of the store.

"He's fun to mess with."

The whole scene that unfolded moments ago greatly amused Ellis. The boy had never seen anyone win a game against Snake; the man usually got what he wanted and more. And Nick thought he was fun to mess with? This guy was good.

"Nick man, you are really somethin', ya know that?" Ellis would have patted the man on the back, had it not been for the earlier warning about touching the suit.

"Haha, thanks sport. I'm sure you're not so bad yourself." Ellis smiled. He had managed to put the guy into a good mood, at least. For as long as he could remember, he always knew how to make someone feel better and smile for once. And spreading joy made Ellis feel better, too. It was win-win. "Say, I'm looking for a few more witches in the area, have you noticed any suspicious activity?" Nick inquired.

Ellis stroked his chin in thought, the rough stubble grazing his fingers as they passed. The only thing he could think of was a few years out of date... Regardless, Ellis explained about how 'his buddy Keith' went missing around an area rumored to have a disappearance problem, and the resulting hospital visit and weeks of depression. Nick gave a "Hmm..." as a response, and Ellis was quick to add, "Oh, and this was a few years ago, I'm not if anyone's still there."

Nick laughed. "I'm sure if there are still idiots willing to wander around alone, there'll still be witches to prey on them." Ellis neglected to mention that it was himself who had been 'the idiot' to get Keith bitten. Old remnants of guilt began to resurface, but Ellis shook his head to remove the thoughts. Luckily Nick hadn't been paying attention, otherwise he was sure the action would have attracted an odd look from him. "Hey kid, do you have some time to spare?"

Ellis didn't get a chance to answer before Nick's cell phone rang. "Oh- Hold that thought. Don't go anywhere." The man held up one finger to indicate he'd only be gone for a moment. Perfect timing, too, because the door to the back of the shop opened once more and Snake stepped though. Ellis walked himself over to the counter, while Nick went to the far corner of the room so their conversations wouldn't mix.

"Ah, Ellis. Always good to see your family in my shop. How can I help you this fine day?" Part of that sentence was spoken in irritation as he noticed Nick was still loitering around.

"M'just gonna need a bit of sugar, same as last time." Ellis pulled out a few bills from his pocket. Thankfully, sugar wasn't too expensive. The demand was high, but the supply was even higher, creating an all-around affordable price that was only driven up by fluctuating oil prices. The stuff was catnip for witches, making them lethargic and paranoid. It wasn't a pretty combination, either. If you heard the familiar shrieking of a terrified witch, you best be sure you're not in her path. People unfortunate enough to be caught with their pants down looked as if they were hit by a train. And then run over by a lawnmower.

It was a gruesome sight, but preferable to the organized chaos of a coordinated witch attack. One of them could systematically hospitalize, or even wipe out an entire neighborhood in a matter of days. An occasional accident or dozens of lives. The city decided it was best to keep them on a permanent sugar high. Once they crashed, they were an easy kill as they slept for a few hours. Nick was one of the few people who dared to hunt the creatures while they were still awake.

"Very well, I'll arrange for it to be delivered to your truck momentarily." Snake absentmindedly punched in a few keys on his old cash register, each one of them making a small 'Ding!' noise. The old miser probably had every item's price committed to memory by now. Though Ellis could guess he was still worried about the white-suited hunter. "Are you friends with that fellow back there?"

"Well we've only just met so-" Ellis couldn't finish his response before Snake resumed speaking.

"Because I'd stay away from him if I were you. He has a bad aura around him." A final button was pushed, and the tray opened loudly. Ellis readily paid the man as he continued to speak of Nick. "It feels as though trouble follows him wherever he goes. I wouldn't be surprised if my store burst into flames the minute he leaves." Ellis rolled his eyes. He was a pretty good judge of character, and the guy was harmless from what he'd observed. Well, as long as you weren't a witch.

"Just... please find a way to get him out of my store. I'll be eternally grateful if you do." Snake shoved the receipt and his change into his hand before quickly disappearing behind the door in the back for the third time.

Nick was still talking away on his cell phone, so Ellis resigned to finding a place to sit. Each chair had stains of questionable origin, and it didn't take long for the southerner to give up and sit on the floor beside the glass exit. He hadn't wanted to get too close to the hunter for fear of eavesdropping, but regardless he picked up on a few words that made him uneasy.

Namely 'Queen,' 'Pennsylvania,' and 'infection.'

"Alright, I'll head up there once I'm done in Savannah. Yeah. It'll be a few more days okay? Well I can't help it!" Nick snapped his phone shut. "Ugh. Sometimes I just hate people." Nick walked towards where Ellis was sitting. "So where was I before we were interrupted?"

"You were asking me if I had time to spare."

"Ah, right." Nick sat down on the floor beside the younger man. "I was wondering if you could take me to where your friend went missing. Even if it's a dead end, I want to check it out for myself."

Ellis' eyes lit up. "Well sure! It's no problem. Hey, and I can show you around town too, there's plenty to see before you head out into Savannah!" Ellis' face fell after he realized he came here for a reason, and that his family was still waiting on him. "Ah, shoot, it's gonna have to wait a bit though. I gotta get this sugar back to the farm so we can refill our traps."

Nick laughed. "Don't sweat it kiddo, I got a few more days before I have to leave. I can wait. Tell ya what." Nick pulled out one of the hundreds he had received earlier and a pen, and wrote something in the margins of the note. "Take this, and call me once you're finished. We'll meet up at that bar across the street for a drink and then set out. Sound good?"

Ellis stared at the bill that had been placed in his hands. Written cleanly across the top in black ink was a phone number. He frowned. "Shucks Nick, I can't just take your money like this."

"Then don't. Accept it as a piece of paper with my number on it. I've got tons of pieces of paper in my pocket. They mean almost nothing to me, so I won't miss that one." Ellis fumbled with the bill for a few seconds before reluctantly shoving it into his pocket. Out of sight, out of mind, he repeated to himself internally. Nick smiled, using the wall as support to help himself up from his position. "Then it's settled. See you in a few hours El." The bell above the door chimed once more, and Ellis found himself alone, unable to move.

El. No one had ever called him that before. It sounded... nice. The note he received felt uncomfortably warm through his thin pocket lining as Ellis attempted to organize the thoughts racing around in his mind.

**xxxxx**

It took Ellis a few minutes to recollect himself. Snake had wandered back into the front, waiting for his next customer that may or may not come. There were certainly better places to buy sugar at, but Ellis' Pa sent him here and for once, Ellis was glad his Pa would do anything for his friends. Heck, his Pa would do anything for just about anyone, and he would always encourage his sons to do the same.

"The goods you requested are awaiting you in the back of your truck." Snake informed him, at which he picked himself up off the floor. Man, Nick wouldn't be happy if he saw the back of his suit right now. He was amazed at how much dirt was on the seat of his pants. Ellis chuckled, imagining the outburst towards management if the hunter had of noticed before leaving the shop.

"Thanks, Snake. See ya around." He gave a stiff wave towards the pale man as he exited the building himself, barely catching the "Thank you, come again!" he received.

Nick's car was already gone, of course, leaving Ellis' old pickup truck looking sad and lonely. Four bags of sugar had been hastily thrown into the bed of the truck, and the culprit nowhere to be seen anymore. Ellis took note of the bar across the street that he never knew existed until today. Granted, he had never been looking for it. The most alcohol he'd ever drank was a beer or two with Keith and his friends, but only because they insisted upon it whenever they got together.

**xxxxx**

It only took 20 minutes for Ellis to make the return trip back to the farm. Normally he would take it easy and have a relaxing thirty minute drive, but today he was a man with a purpose. His Pa, who had been sitting on the front porch, got up to greet him as his truck rolled to a stop in front of their house. From the way his shotgun was lazily propped up against the side of the house, he hadn't needed to put it to use.

"Glad to see ya made it back in one piece, son." Daniel said as he helped unload the goods brought back. Ellis grabbed the remaining two bags and hauled them with ease up to the house, thanks to the muscles he developed from working through the days out in the field.

"Well I'm glad to see you had so much faith in me." Ellis grinned. "Oh hey Pa, can I go hang out with a friend in a few hours? He uh, needs some help with something and I said I'd meet him outside Uncle Snake's shop." None of that was exactly a lie. The bar WAS outside of Snake's shop, and Nick did in fact need his help. And he was pretty sure him and Nick were friends now.

Daniel frowned. "I don't know, there's a lot of work to do..." Ellis gave him the best fake pout he could muster, hoping he didn't look totally ridiculous, though he probably did. "Ah, what the heck. Go and set the traps on the east side and I'll let you go out and have your fun for the rest of the day.

Ellis could have jumped for joy, had it not been for the extra weight he was carrying. "Thanks dad!" He yelled back as he dropped one sack off on the steps and took off east with the other.

The house was on the west side of the farm, though it only took Ellis a few minutes to run his way to the east side. The traps consisted of a shallow serving dish mounted on one of the outer fence posts and covered with a removable lid raised up just enough for the scent to attract anything with a sensitive nose and a sweet tooth. It wasn't a perfect system, but it got the job done. Best of all, it was **his** design.

This particular trap's lid had been thrown a good distance away, and the dish had been licked clean, both characteristics of an actual witch visit instead of wildlife curiosity. Ellis carefully refilled and reset the trap, hurrying along to the next, and the next, until his job was finished.

Running back was a bit more difficult, however. Ellis had to make sure none of the bag's contents were lost to the earth, forcing him to lessen his pace in the return trip.

His Pa was still waiting for his return out on the porch, though he guessed he hadn't been gone longer than ten minutes. "Was everything in order?" Ellis nodded. "Good, good. Just drop that bag right there on the steps, I gotta go fix up the north side. Yer free to leave, boy. Just say a word to Ma before ya go." Daniel rose from his rocking chair with an audible 'pop!' as he held his back. Ellis bit his lip in worry. His dad wasn't **that **old; he was only in his mid forties, though a life of work might have worn him down.

"Dad, if'ya want I can just go take care of that myself, it won't take me but a few minutes." Ellis offered.

His father stretched a bit. "Nonsense! I've still got fight left in me and I'll be damned if I give up at forty-six years old. You run off now, I don't want you keeping yer friend waitin'." He smiled. Ellis hesitated, watching his father slowly shrink into the horizon. He reassured himself that his father would be fine, and there was nothing to worry about. He had a shotgun and he knew how to use it.

Inside the house, Ellis' mother Tracy was busy making lunch. "Ellis dear, lunch is almost ready if you want to wait a few minutes." She called out from the kitchen.

Ellis made his way around to greet her, giving her a quick hug. "Smells good, but can I get mine to go? I gotta meet a friend in town."

"Sure dear, I'll wrap a sandwich up and leave it by the door." She paused to flip one of the partially grilled, aforementioned sandwiches over. "You got a date or somethin'?"

Her innocent question made him blush. "Naw, it's nothin' like that ma, he just needs my help with somethin'." She 'Ah'd' in response. "I'm gonna go wash up and then hit the road."

"Okay dear, just don't stay out too long!" She yelled after him.

Ellis emptied his pockets onto his dresser, making a mental note to return the change from his purchase to his parents. Benjamin Franklin stared at him from the wooden surface, Nick's number hovering over his head. He debated returning the bill to the man when they met up, but he was sure it would be refused. Instead, he carefully tucked the bill under several pairs of boxers in his first drawer, grabbing a pair for himself in the process.

"Now, what am I gonna wear..." He didn't have very many options, so he decided on a plain black t-shirt and a pair of faded-but still otherwise in good condition-jeans. The boots he had on would be good enough, though they needed to come off for now. He slipped into the adjacent bathroom and began undressing himself, kicking off his loosely tied boots and tossing aside his yellow 'Bullshifters' shirt plus the jeans he was currently wearing. He'd put them away later, but for now the floor was as good as any hamper.

The knob squeaked on and a steady stream of lukewarm water flowed out from the shower head. Ellis clicked the locks on both entrances to the shared bathroom before sliding his boxers off. He enjoyed having a bathroom right next to his room, but the cost was having to share it. The door across from his own connected to the room occupied by his two brothers. Despite two other users, it was the only place in the house one could truly have some form of privacy.

Ellis stepped in, letting the now-hot water wash the slight natural curl in his hair out. It ran over his exposed flesh, relaxing every muscle in his lean, well-built body. He had slight remnants of farmer's tan, though he made efforts to keep it even. Keith suggested he start tanning in the nude so his arms would at least somewhat fit in with the rest of his body. He had been embarrassed by the idea at first, so Keith offered to join him. Which only made him more embarrassed. He wasn't sure how he was ultimately convinced of the idea, but he blamed it on the minor curiosity of wanting to see his buddy without any clothes on.

His buddy's logic was that if they were both caught naked in the middle of the day, it wouldn't be so bad, right? Wrong. They were still in high school back then, so when a few of their classmates discovered them... Well, they had brought a camera with them. And they were both sitting close together. And Keith just happened to have a hand on his shoulder at the time. They were labeled as homosexual partners for the next few weeks, at least until he 'n Keith discovered they could take on most of the football team with just the two of them. Ellis grinned. He had abused their new-found position on top of the food chain to demand all the pictures of them floating around. They were still in his room somewhere, hidden away from the prying eyes of his siblings.

Ellis squirted some of the shampoo into his hands, having wasted enough time reminiscing about the past. What had ultimately resulted from his tanning efforts was that he found out he was gay, and that Keith wasn't. It was an awkward discovery, but his buddy thought it was best to keep it hidden between them. That was a story for another time, though. For now he had to concentrate on his shower.

He lathered the mint-scented liquid into his locks, massaging the foam into his thick brown hair as he did every day. He was advised by a few girls at school to thoroughly wash and condition his hair twice a day, though that was back when it was twice as long as it was now. Still, with the thickness of it and the heat of the day, it was good advice. He let the water rinse out his hair as he soaped up a washcloth; he'd rinse it himself before he got out.

**xxxxx**

Now that he was clean and dressed, it was time to call Nick. He fished the bill out of his dresser and tucked it into his pocket. It would raise more than eyebrows if his parents noticed it, so he had to be careful.

Their old cord phone was in the kitchen, so he stretched the curly yellowed cable around the corner to at least have the illusion that no one would overhear his conversation. He easily remembered the hunter's number, and each button made a distinct tone with each press.

_"No one is available to take your call. Please leave a message after the tone." _Great, it didn't even ring. That meant his phone was either off, or dead.

"Uh, Nick? This is Ellis and uh, I'm headin' out now towards Snake's, so... meet you there in a few I guess." He rounded the corner and returned the phone to its home on the wall.

His Ma had long since left the kitchen, and the burners were cold. The dishes had already been washed and put away, and she was now resting in the living room with his Pa. They were both watching a medical drama about unsolved mysteries and difficult diagnoses, though he could guess his father was only half paying attention. Medicine was more of his Ma's thing, though she never went to college for it.

"Bye ma, bye pa, I'm gonna head on up to town now." He was already halfway out the front door when his Pa called out to him.

"Ellis, hold up for a minute son." Ellis backed up a few steps, but his Pa motioned for him to sit down. The southerner took a seat in the faded red recliner that had been part of a set. "We've been thinkin' and well, we want to give you a bit more freedom. For example, letting you go off and be with yer little friend." Daniel scratched the back of his head. "And with freedom comes responsibility, and to be responsible, you have to keep in touch with us." He pulled out a small box from under one of the throw pillows. "And that's why we're giving you this."

"What is it?" Ellis shook the box a little, but no noise came from it. It was a white box, with a red ribbon tied around the middle into a neat bow. He carefully undid the decorative strip and stored it away in his pocket. Removing the lid revealed... A brand new cell phone. It was a flip model, similar to the one Nick had, only his was blue and the hunter's was white. Ellis blinked.

"Surprise!" Tracy threw her hands up. "We were saving it for your birthday, but we felt you deserved it earlier."

"Wow, I'm not sure what to say." Ellis was genuinely surprised. He had asked for a cell phone before, but his parents saw it as an unnecessary expense. Though, he was getting older and more adventurous. He couldn't work on this farm for his entire life. "Thanks you guys." He gave them both a simultaneous hug.

"Yer welcome son. Now, run along. You don't want to be late for your date." Ellis blushed again and let out a sigh. There was no point in fighting him. "And don't forget yer hat. It gets hot durin' the afternoon." His hat had been left in the truck. In fact, it had been forgotten when he went into Snake's place due to the hunter's car.

Ellis rose and made for the door. "Just stay away from any witches, hun!" Tracy warned, even though he knew well enough to steer clear of them.

**xxxxx**

Ellis took a few moments in his truck to explore his new phone, using one hand to hold the sandwich prepared by his mother, which he occasionally took a few bites of. They had already preset "Home" as a contact, and the southerner added Nick's number to the list. He would have to get Keith, Dave, and Paul's numbers later, but that could wait. Ellis sighed. Where was Nick at? He hoped his message went through.

The old truck roared to life with the turn of a key, and Ellis was on the highway in no time. The early afternoon traffic was light; lunch hour was over and people had already returned to work. Regardless, the red traffic lights were long due to being automated for the rush.

The bar the hunter requested they meet at came into view. A neon pink sign flashed the name, "Helen's Cocktail Lounge." Didn't seem like the type of place for a high-class rich guy like Nick, though Nick wasn't exactly your average rich guy. Ellis popped open the door and stepped out, making sure to grab his hat and brush all the crumbs off of his shirt. Wearing black might not have been such a good idea...

The place was small and made of wood, the clapboard siding aged by the sun from white to a pale yellow. The only windows resided high up near the roof. "Well, here goes nothin'." Ellis said as he pulled on the door handle, the hinges groaning in protest against the weight of the heavy, metal door.

He had to wait a few seconds for his eyes to adjust to the dimly lit, dark purple interior. The glow of cigarettes flashed in spots, but it wasn't enough to cloud the room with smoke. One such glow came from behind the counter. The southerner took a seat at one of the stools in front of the bar. The bartender was pouring several green and clear liquids into a tall glass while idly chatting with another customer. The sound of Depeche Mode streamed from a jukebox in the back. A few of the other patrons eyed him suspiciously, making Ellis feel totally out of place. He tried to shrink down as much as he could into his seat.

"Hello sugar." The sudden voice made Ellis jump slightly, and a few of his observers chuckled and went back to their drinks, deeming him harmless. A svelte brunette leaned against the counter in front of him. Through the darkness he barely make out her frosted blonde tips, and her black pinstripe blazer blended nicely with a light purple collared undershirt. She inhaled from a dark cigarette holder and spoke with a distinct northern accent. "What'll it be?" Her voice had a slight rasp from smoking, though she couldn't be past her twenties. Despite her age, she spoke with experience and a demand for respect.

Ellis wasn't sure what to say. "Uhh, something light, please." She nodded, placing a few small glasses in front of a larger glass, beginning to mix several different liquids together. Her hands moved with almost inhuman speed, engrossing him in the show being performed in front of him. He was almost sorry it had to end.

"Enjoy." Ellis nodded in a polite but nonverbal thank-you, slightly tipping his hat in respect. The drink in front of him bubbled and smelled of mangoes. "So, what brings you here for?" She stacked the smaller glasses into each other and moved them out of sight. He took a few sips before answering.

"M'just waitin' for a friend. He should be here soon." The low alcohol content still burned his throat a little, but the pleasant taste of the tropical beverage was a good distraction.

"Mm, what's he look like?" She asked.

The southerner blanked out. "Well uh, he's white with brown hair and green eyes. Average build. Probably wearing a white suit."

"Oh him? He was in here the other day. Seems like a nice guy." He was mildly surprised the woman actually knew who he was talking about. "Left a pretty nice tip, too." She exhaled smoke into the air above him. "Nick, was it?" He nodded. She let out a smoke filled sigh. "I never forget a face. Sometimes I wish I could. I'm Helen, by the way."

"Ellis," He tipped his hat again, "and ya don't mean **the **Helen, do ya?"

She laughed. "Yep. Owner, bartender, accountant, etc. I run this place alone."

"Well shoot, that's impressive. You do mix a mighty fine drink if I do say so myself." He was half finished with his drink by now. A guy could get used to hangin' out here.

The owner seemed slightly flattered by the comment, but the hint quickly vanished. The door creaked open again. "Hey, there's your friend now." Sure enough, he saw the familiar white suit in the doorway, blinking his own eyes from the drastic light difference. Ellis waved him over.

Nick took the seat next to him. "Hey sport, been waitin' for me long?" Actually, it _had_ been a while since he got here, but he didn't mind. "I'll have what he's having." The bartender prepared a second drink with the same speed as the first. "I see you've become acquainted with Helen." Ellis nodded, finishing off his glass.

"So is this another one of your 'companions,' Nick? I hope it goes better than last night." Helen smirked.

"What happened last night?" Ellis asked, her words arousing his curiosity.

"Oh, not much." Helen answered for him. "He got some guy drunk off his ass. A few of my glasses were thrown around, and Nick finally calmed him down by-"

"AH-Ha hey that's quite enough." He laughed nervously. Helen sashayed away, looking somewhat pleased with herself. "What's done is done, right? Ellis, how'd you like the drink?"

He'd have to ask the man what happened later, it was too good to pass up but it was clear he was uncomfortable talking about it right now. "Oh it was pretty amazing."

Nick gulped down a good portion of his drink. "You're tellin' me, and you ain't seen nothin' yet, not 'til you try some of the heavy stuff. You want another? Drinks are on me."

"Nah, I'm good." It's not that he couldn't stand to drink another one, it's just that he still didn't feel comfortable around Nick. Or rather, Nick's money. The man would probably buy him a car just like his if he asked real nicely.

"Suit yourself." Nick proceeded to down two more of the drinks, and in watching him order his third, Ellis broke down and ordered another one for himself. "There ya go, El. Relax a bit." Somehow, he did feel more relaxed. And he knew it wasn't the alcohol to blame. He's helping the hunter complete his job, and if they were lucky, they'd snag another witch or two. All because of him. Sure, Nick probably coulda found the place on his own, but time was a valuable resource.

Nick pushed his third glass up to join the other two. "Ready whenever you are tiger." Ellis quickly finished the remaining liquid and hopped up to stretch. The hunter slipped a few hundreds under one of the glasses, but Ellis was too occupied to notice. "Money's on the table, doll. Keep the change." He called out, earning a few odd looks. Helen simply waved back at him with her free hand, not even turning her head from the customer in front of her. She knew he was good for it, so she was in no hurry to collect her fee. Nick held the door open for Ellis. "C'mon, we'll take my car. But, _I'm _driving it." He grinned, gauging the reaction of the other man. Excitement was evident on his face, though he was trying hard to contain it.

He went on to describe the ultra luxury import. "Full leather trim, with massaging seats with both hot and cold settings. There's a mini-fridge in the back seat. Premium sound system, advanced climate control..." He trailed off. "Well, you get the point. It's a fancy pile of metal with more features then I'll ever need." Ellis was practically drooling at all the unnecessary add-ons. Nick pulled on the handle and the car automatically unlocked in response. "Hop in."

Once inside, the southerner couldn't help but press every button he could get his hands on. "Man this is cool. What brand is she?"

Nick shrugged. "Iunno. I just told them to give me the most expensive one, and they were happy to do so." The car lurched backwards. "She's a little sensitive, but a good ride nonetheless."

The pair rode around for several minutes in silence. Ellis bit his lip. One question had been nagging him for a while now. "Nick? How come you're so... liberal with your money?"

The car rolled to a stop at a red light. Nick flashed him a sad smile. "Kid, there's a lot of things happening right now, and all I can say is that I might not be around to enjoy it for much longer."

Ellis' heart skipped a few beats. "What do you mean by that?" It was certainly unsettling, coming from him. He looked like he could handle himself in whatever situation arose.

He let off a half-hearted chuckle. "I wish I could tell you, kid." If spilling his guts would have made it all go away, he would have done it in an instant. Let the kid fix all of his problems, as if he had the power to do so. "It's somethin' I caused, and I gotta fix it."

"Does it have something to do with Pennsylvania?" Ellis asked. Although it was an innocent question, it almost made Nick lose control of the car.

"What do you know? Who told you about it?" He asked frantically, though to Ellis' surprise, his voice was laced with concern and not anger. The southerner waited for his driving to stabilize before guiltily responding.

"M'sorry Nick, I kinda overheard some of your conversation. I heard you talkin' about a queen, and some kinda infection." He coulda sworn Nick sighed with a hint a relief.

"Jeez kid, you almost gave me a heart attack. This is classified info, but you know about all these witch attacks?" He nodded in response, signalling him to continue. "Well my 'boss' thinks it's related to a new strain a the flu. Cases are centered around an abandoned sugar mill up in Pennsylvania."

It seemed pretty obvious that something was going on in that old mill. "Why don't they jus' go in and check the place out?"

Nick laughed. "If only it was that simple, kid. Nobody can seem to get into the place. It's like there's a barrier around the premises keepin' everyone out. As for the infection, CEDA's been deployed and they're keeping everything within a twenty mile radius under quarantine." Ellis whistled. That was a lot of land to keep in check. "It didn't start out so bad, but the thing's spreading like wildfire. They can't seem to contain it, despite their best efforts."

"And you think the witches are spreading it secretly."

"Bingo, kid. That's why I'm heading up there in a few days. With any luck, the infection can be stopped at one city." Nick sighed. "I blame myself for it. The Queen's probably pissed I keep killing her babies, and now she's making her move."

"Aw Nick, don't beat yourself up for it. This probably woulda happened anyway." Nick knew the southerner was right, but it's also his fault for not dealing with the Queen earlier. "So, is this infection deadly?"

This was the part that confused Nick. "Actually, nobody's certain. Most patients are asymptomatic and seem perfectly normal on the outside. Their bodies are riddled with infection, though, and their immune systems ignore it as if it had always been there. They wouldn't even have discovered anything if there hadn't been a few people sensitive to it. They went insane, attacking friends and family alike, scratching and biting them like wild animals. After that, blood tests exploded the number of known cases into the thousands."

"That sounds horrible! Why hasn't this been on the news yet?" Something like this should have been eaten up by the media at this point.

"Government censorship. The unnecessary panic would cause more harm than good. They don't see any need in mass hysteria when the infection doesn't do anything to most people, and it'd only serve to spread it as people evacuated from the Keystone State."

It was true. There was an untold number of cases, and for all anyone knew, the entire eastern border could be infected by now. "So... what's the trigger? What sets off the infection?"

"Wouldn't we all like to know, kid." Nick shook his head. "It's my job to deal with the witch Queen before she destroys millions of lives. I just hope I can stop it." The awkward silence resumed. Nick had run out of things to say, and Ellis had run out of questions. Or at least, all that remained were questions he feared the answer to.

"Do... Do you think Keith's infected?"

Nick raised an eyebrow. "Probably not. The infection's recent. An attack several years ago wouldn't cause any problems." He was reasonably sure of his assumption, and the answer seemed to satisfy his companion. "Speaking of which, we should head over there before it gets too late." Ellis had left Keith at the north end of town, so that's where they were headed.

"Right there, near that news van. I dropped him off next to that old apartment building." Nick parked a fair distance behind the van, due to the back of it being open. Several thick cables lead around to the front of the vehicle. "Should we see what's up?" Ellis asked.

"Hm. We might as well see what the scoop is." A young black woman leaned against the WTTQ 10 news van, flipping through several papers on a clipboard. She modeled a purple pantsuit with golden earrings and a pair of gold-colored high heels. A small Bluetooth headset was attached to her right ear. A man with similar skin color was fiddling with an expensive-looking studio camera, though he looked much older. He wore a polo shirt and a pair of khaki pants, probably because he wasn't the one on film.

"All set baby girl, we go live in two minutes." The older man repositioned the camera to face the entrance to the building Ellis had pointed out from the car. The female set her clipboard down on the top of her van and repositioned herself into the wide-lens camera angle.

"C'mon El, we better get inside before they start rolling. I don't wanna be caught on film." The hunter made for the door, and he was quick to follow.

As Nick had feared, the news producer wouldn't let them slip buy. "Oh, gentlemen, would you like to say a few words?" She called out to them, hurriedly moving to block their entry to their destination.

"We'd rather not. We're kinda in a hurry." Nick pulled Ellis to the side to try and get around her, but she moved with them.

"Boys, I just need a few words about the recent witch attacks. This is my chance to make it big. They gave me a lead to follow, and if I ace this, I'll make executive producer!"

The man behind the camera called out. "'Ro, live in five, four, three..." Well, shit. Now they didn't have a choice.

'Ro, as she was called by the cameraman, quickly fixed her hair, making sure her bun remained in-tact. "This is Rochelle Lincoln reporting to you live from Georgia. I'm here on the scene with two natives who've agreed to talk about the recent kidnappings in the area. Rumor has it that witches are responsible for the disappearings, though no evidence has been found. Can you two comment on the situation?"

Ellis wasn't the kinda person who enjoyed being put on the spot. That, and he had stage fright- or alley fright, if you wanted to be picky. Luckily Nick didn't mind saving his ass. If he was gonna be on film, he was gonna make it look good. Or at least make her look bad. "Ah, yes, we can. In fact, I'm an expert on the matter. You see, witches prey on people who wander off alone. So say, if I were to allow my friend here to enter this building alone, he almost certainly wouldn't come back out." Nick dropped his voice down to a whisper. "Just go upstairs and hide." He jerked the door open and shoved him inside before he could protest.

The southerner tried to make it as convincing as possible, stomping down on the stairs right next to the entrance so that those outside could hear him. "And there you have it. We'll probably never see him again. If you wanna avoid getting killed, you best travel with a few friends. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go save MY friend." Nick vanished into the building himself, leaving Rochelle and her cameraman speechless. It took her a few moments to regain her composure.

"Ah, well, there you have it, folks. Lock your doors, overprotect your children, and hide your pets. The threat of a witch attack is very real. We'll stay on the scene, bringing you updates on what happens to our two speakers. Back to you, Chet." She held a big, fake smile until she heard she was clear through her headset, at which she broke down. "My career is so dead! Those idiots are gonna pay."

Inside, Nick was already halfway up the stairs and hoping he wouldn't be followed. "Ellis, I ruined their show, you can come out now." He checked a few of the rooms, noting they were all spectacularly empty. Some of the doors had been ripped from their hinges, and the wallpaper had claw marks in several different locations. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to send him in here alone... "Ellis?"

He reached the end of the hallway, facing one final obstacle: a locked door. He knocked. "Ellis, are you in there? Open up!" No answer. The hunter took a few steps back and threw himself at the door, putting his weight behind his shoulder and striking as close to the knob as possible, but the wood held firm, even after repeated attempts. He wasn't strong enough. "Damnit!" He punched the door in anger.

"Step aside, son. Coach's got this." A strong hand came to rest on his shoulder, gently but firmly guiding him away. It was the man from before. Rochelle stood a ways behind him with an annoyed look on her face. Coach charged, bringing the door down with ease. The wood splintered into dozens of pieces, and the two men rushed into the room. "Mm, he ain't here. Tell me I didn't do that for nothin', Nicolas."

Rochelle walked in at this point. "Y'know, this wouldn't have happened if you guys had cooperated."

The anger directed at the producer was palpable. If Coach hadn't of step in, they probably would have killed each other. "Hey hey young'ns, now's not the time to be fightin' each other." Nick reluctantly backed off.

Rochelle folded her arms. "Hey, do you boys smell that?"

"Yeah, the whole place smells like ass. What about it?" Nick scoffed.

"No, not that! It smells like... Blood." She sniffed around a bit. "It's coming from that closet. Maybe your friends in there?"

Coach grumbled. "I sure hope he ain't." The three stood in front of the door, each of them hesitant to reach for the knob. Nick swallowed the lump in his throat. Coach was the one to break the silence. "Here goes nothin'."

The door swung outward. Rochelle gasped, Coach's eyes widened, and Nick just fell to his knees.

"Ellis..."


	2. The Mistake

"...Ellis!" Nick repeated, louder. The hick's crumpled form laid in a pool of fresh blood. It was as if he had been broken and tossed aside like someone's old toy. The thought elevated Nick's anger.

"Coach, get to the van and call an ambulance." Rochelle turned away from the sight, unable to bear it any longer, as the big man's footsteps retreated towards the exit. "Is... is he still...?" Nick's fist slammed into the wall, and Rochelle jumped in response.

"He's just a kid." Nick's voice grew into a harsh whisper. His arm remained outstretched and trembling with anger. "I'll kill whoever did this. Mark my words, they will die by my hands." The hunter got up on his feet and stomped over to look out of the room's dirty window. The sun had begun it's descent. They didn't have long.

Rochelle stooped down, placing two fingers on the young man's neck. Some of the worry lifted off of her face with a sigh of relief. "He still has a pulse, but it's faint." Nick only grunted in response, his weight shifted in the still-bright afternoon sun. His hand gripped his bicep fiercely as he chewed on his bottom lip.

Coach returned a few minutes later, tiredly resting an arm on the door frame. "Help's on the way." Worry creased his forehead. "How's he holdin' up?"

Rochelle's lips parted, but before she could answer, Nick responded. His gaze remained fixated on the outside world. "He'll be fine." His words were a bit calmer now. "Coach, was it? Take your van and follow the ambulance when it leaves. Keep the kid company for me, okay?" He took the big man's silence as an 'Okay.' and continued. "Ro', stay behind. I'd like a word with you, and I need your help with something."

Coach gave a short, nervous chuckle. "Can I trust you two kids alone?"

Ro' flashed an uneasy smile, running a hand over her head as if to fix any out-of-pace hairs. "We'll be fine, Coach. Don't worry about us." Dark eyes flickered back and forth between the two before settling their focus on the youngest of the group, still unconscious on the floor.

"Boy, yo' ass better make it through this. I ain't gonna have yo' blood on my hands." Coach shook his head and stepped back towards the outside. "I'll wait for the ambulance. Need some fresh air anyways."

Nick twisted his head around to face the producer. "Ro', you know how to use a gun, right?"

"Why does it matter?" Rochelle arched an eyebrow and threw her hands up.

"It matters because," He spun the rest of his body around. "You got me into this mess, and now you're gonna help me find the witch who did this to El." He motioned over towards his companion.

Rochelle ground her teeth together. She did feel responsible for this mess... "Very well, I have no objections."

Nick smiled. "This'll be fun, doll."

"You seem to be enjoying this... Why, and what's this kid to you?" Rochelle questioned.

The hunter licked his lip before responding. "The thrill of the hunt. There's not a witch who has managed to escape me for long. As for the kid, he's grown on me. And I don't let anyone get away with hurting my friends. Ever. Not after last time..." The last part was nothing but a whisper. Ro' nodded. It was better not to press the issue.

Xxxx

The paramedics carted Ellis away, and Coach left in the news van after them. Nick glanced over at his fancily-dressed acquaintance. "C'mon doll, time's against us here." He shoved his hands into his pockets and searched for his key. "If we can kill that witch within a few hours it'll spare us a lot of trouble. Otherwise we're all going on a road trip." Nick grinned.

Rochelle laughed. "Sorry Nick, we're not sticking around much longer. Coach n' I are headed towards Savannah after this, and then towards Pennsylvania. We've got a much bigger story brewing up there. My producers want me to do a story on CEDA and I-"

Nick interrupted with a laugh of his own. "Hey, we're all going the same direction. We can travel as one big family! Won't that be nice? You're not gonna find what you want to up in Penn., Ro', that much I can guarantee." Nick popped the trunk of his car and grabbed two shotguns.

She sighed. "I don't have a choice, suit. I will take you up on that offer, though. Regardless of you being serious or not."

Nick tossed one of the guns to Rochelle, who fumbled awkwardly trying to catch it, earning another grin from the hunter. "Why so eager?"

"I suspect you have a bit more authority than you let on, Mr. Hunter. I'm sure I can convince you to let us tag along somehow..."

"You're smarter than you look, doll. Tell you what, do a good job here, and I'll get you the scoop of a lifetime up in Pennsylvania." Nick started off towards a side alley. "But first, let's concentrate on the job at hand."

The hunter motioned towards a nearby warehouse. The run-down apartment must have been for housing it's workers, until it shut down. "Whoever she is, she's in there. Before you ask, I'll explain." Rochelle had only just parted her lips, but he didn't give her time to speak. "There was a broken window in the room next to the one we found Ellis in, and right across from that is this warehouse." Glass crunched underneath their feet. "Poor guy probably walked right into her bedroom. Must have ran away when she heard more people coming."

Rochelle was a little more than just skeptic. "What makes you think she'll be in here?"

Nick's gaze shifted upwards. "Well, if she fed off of him, which it looks like she did, she wouldn't have been able to make it far. Since we didn't hear any glass break, this window must have shattered a long time ago. Thus I can logically predict that the bitch is hiding somewhere in this building. We just need to fish her out."

Rochelle raised an eyebrow. "How are we gonna manage that?"

"Same way every time, doll. With sugar. C'mon, no time to waste." Nick moved for the front of the building and crouched in front of the door.

"Boy, what are you doin' now?" Ro asked as she placed a hand on her hips.

"I'm gonna pick the lock, what do you think I'm doing?" Nick peered into the lock's hole.

"With what?"

Nick held out a hand without even turning around. "A bobby pin, if you please. I know you've got a few in your hair. It won't miss one."

Rochelle rolled her eyes, as if the motion could be seen, and pulled one of the pins out of her hair. "You're lucky I have a bunch of these in my purse." She practically stabbed the pin down into Nick's hand, which twitched slightly in response to the aggression. Rochelle's eyes widened. "Which is back on the news van. You better not ruin that pin!"

Click. "Relax doll, I'm already done. Here." Ro quickly put the misplaced hairs back in order as Nick pushed the door open. The rusty hinges groaned loudly. He signaled his companion to follow him and stay quiet. If the door hadn't alerted anyone inside of their presence, they didn't need to risk it any further.

The inside was as bad as the outside. Trash had been scattered everywhere amongst old machinery and rusty shipping crates. Sunlight streamed in through clouded windows, illuminating parts of the building in dirty light. Rochelle's heels clicked softly against the stained concrete flooring. Nick concentrated on finding the sobbing noises of his target.

Rochelle pointed towards the far end of the warehouse, where several of the larger shipping crates rested. One of them emitted a faint, eerie red glow. Nick gave the reporter a mental pat on the back. The two walked side by side, moving trash out of the way to clear a path towards their goal.

A few rats squeaked past the two. "Oh go-" Nick clamped his hand down on her mouth before she could scream, and gave her a stern look. He allowed her a few seconds to calm down before letting go. Rochelle pinched her brow and took a deep breath while Nick moved farther away.

Nick readied his shotgun. He pressed his back to the edge of the container. Green eyes studied the red glow cast on the wall by whatever was inside. He stood ready to shoot.

Something didn't feel right, though. Things were too quiet. "Hey, Ro." Nick whispered, gaze fixated at the wall. "Notice anything weird about this place?" No response. "Ro?" The hunter looked back.

Nothing. Rochelle wasn't behind him any more. "Fuck." He didn't have time to go look for her. His target was only a few meters away.

Nick spun around the corner, shotgun first, ready to shoot. But...

"A flashlight?" Nick lowered his gun and stepped forward, picking the object up. He weighed it in his hands, turning it to look it over. Someone had taken it and covered the lens with a red filter. "So that was the source of the red glow. Would explain the lack of crying." Nick's eyes narrowed. "For fuck's sake."

Nick knew what was coming before the shovel hit him over the head. They'd walked right into a trap, and there wasn't any way to save himself. He had been blinded by rage, and now it was far too late to fix his mistake.

The hunter staggered. His vision was fading fast. An inhuman strength was behind that hit, but he couldn't help but smile as he fell to the ground. "Well played." He uttered to his unknown assailant, before completely losing consciousness.


End file.
